The Anatomy of Rugs: Understanding Persian Rug Design & Structure (Part 1)
Time for a Little Persian & Carpet 101
Ever looked at a Persian rug and wondered what all the different sections and patterns are actually called?
A rug is made up of more than just a collection of beautiful colours and motifs. Many traditional rugs follow a basic visual structure, with different sections working together to form the overall design.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the parts you can find on a Persian rug. While we’re at it, why not look at your own rug and see if you can spot them too?
1. Guard Border
Hāshiyeh-ye Bārik — حاشیه باریک
Let's start from the outside and work our way in.
The guard border is the narrow border found alongside the main border of a rug. A rug may have one guard border, or sometimes two, framing the wider main border in between.
Take a look at your own carpet. Do you see a single main border with narrow borders on either side, or does your rug have a different arrangement?
These smaller borders may seem like a finishing detail, but they help frame the main design and create a visual transition between the edge of the rug and its central field.
Look closely: Are the patterns on your guard borders repeated, or do they change as they go around the rug?
2. Corner Brackets
Lachak — لچک
Now look towards the four corners of the rug.
In rugs with a central medallion, the corner brackets are the decorative elements placed in the four corners of the field. They often echo shapes, colours or motifs found in the central medallion, helping to bring the entire composition together.
However, they don't always have to match the medallion exactly.
Look at your own rug: do the corner brackets blend seamlessly into the field, or do they stand out with a stronger contrast in colour or pattern?
Sometimes, the relationship between the corner brackets and the medallion can tell you a lot about how the design was put together.
3. The Field
Zamineh — زمینه
The field is the main area inside the borders of the rug. It is where much of the rug's character comes to life.
Depending on the style and origin of the rug, the field can be filled with all sorts of designs. This includes delicate floral patterns and scrolling vines to bold geometric motifs, repeating boteh and traditional designs such as the Herati pattern.
For example, this Persian Enjelas rug features a Herati / Mahi design across its field.
This is one of the fun parts of looking at rugs: two carpets can have completely different fields, even though they follow a similar overall structure.
Is your field filled with repeating motifs, flowers or geometric patterns? Or is it relatively open, allowing the central design to stand out?
4. The Medallion
Toranj — ترنج
And finally, let's look at the centre.
The medallion, or toranj, is the central decorative element found in many Persian rugs. It can take many different shapes and sizes: From large, elaborate designs that dominate the field to smaller and more understated medallions.
What do you think the design in the medallion represents?
Take a closer look at this one.
The Mahi design is one of the recurring motifs found in Persian rug design. The word mahi means fish in Persian, and the motif is often interpreted as a stylised representation of fish, although its appearance can vary considerably from rug to rug.
Once you know what to look for, you may start spotting familiar shapes and motifs in rugs you come across.
And just like that... we've expanded our vocabulary!
Hāshiyeh-ye Bārik.
Lachak.
Zamineh.
Toranj.
Try pronouncing them too, we're slowly learning a thing or two! 🧐 The next time you look at a handmade rug, perhaps you could try spotting the things you've just learnt.
Also, do note that while some carpets have a central medallion, others may use an all-over design. Borders, corner motifs and patterns can also vary depending on the rug's region, weaving tradition and style.
So if you can't find a toranj or lachak on your rug, don't worry! There's no wrong answer, just a different design to explore which we will slowly get to!
- Nasrin Fotohi